Milwaukee snow-clearing operation; warmer temps will help process

MILWAUKEE - For Milwaukee residents who are seeing streets covered in slush or snow – days after our big snow storm – there is good news. City officials say the warmer weather will help get that mess cleared. 

The Milwaukee Department of Public Works said in 138 years, it has only snowed more than 14 inches eight times. That includes the snowstorm earlier this month. That paired with the deep freeze is why the DPW is asking for patience to get roads clear. 

On January 9 and then again on January 12, snow slammed all of Milwaukee. 

"This has just been a weird, different storm," said Jerrel Kruschke, Milwaukee DPW Commissioner. 

Then a week of temperatures dipping below zero kicked in – leaving a mess on the road for weeks.

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"My issue is here are two weeks later, and I got 10 inches of slush on probably 90% of the roads in my district," said Milwaukee Alderman Lamont Westmoreland. 

Alderman Westmoreland said he has gotten several complaints about road conditions in his district on the city's northwest side. Some people are unable to get their mail. 

On Wednesday, Jan. 24, the alderman asked the DPW what happened and what they are doing to get it cleaned up. 

"We all deserve better service in relation to clearing the snow," Westmoreland said. 

DPW officials say their biggest challenge is that deep freeze – and have not had a weather break until Monday where some of it started to melt. The director of operations said they had every single staff and piece of equipment out working, but the freezing temperatures put a strain on equipment. Calcium chloride ran out at at least one city yard – and 50% of their drivers had three years of experience or less. 

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"We had to make the decision to do center lines immediately and quick as possible. We could not risk not getting to some street. We had to create some access points on every single street," said Danielle Rodriguez, DPW Director of Operations. 

During Wednesday's meeting, Alderman Jonathan Brostoff commended all the workers who have been putting in the extra hours to get the roads in better shape. 

If you want to report your street, it does help them keep track. Call 414-286-CITY.